𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

𝟐𝟕

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕

After the whole incident between
Maeve and Max, nobody outside the Shelby family and a few of the Junior Peaky boys who worked in the den had seen her in weeks.

For the first time in forever, she was afraid. Afraid of what people were going to say, going to do.

Maeve knew that if she stepped out without the protection of a blinder, she'd receive abuse off anyone who knew Max.

Apart from that, Tommy was helping the girl as much as he could. He was trying. So was Arthur. Although he wasn't much help because he was doing as bad as her.

Maeve slowly walked down the stairs, he knees aching and her head pounding. The moment she stepped into the kitchen, the conversation between the family died down.

"If you were talking about me it's fine, carry on. Pretend i'm not here," she shrugged, reaching for a glass and running the water.

Polly and John looked at each other, watching as Maeve's hands were shaking. "Are you alright, love?" Polly questioned, "i'll do that for you-"

"No-" Maeve snapped, snatching the glass back from Polly, "i'm capable."

Polly pursed her lips into a straight line and nodded, returning to her spot beside John. "I can feel you all watching me," Maeve muttered, facing the cabinets, "if you've got something to say, just say it."

Esme cleared her throat, "we're just worried about you, that's all."

Maeve turned, "thank you Esme. Seems like you're the only one here who is willing to talk to me instead of acting scared of me," Maeve hissed, giving everyone but Esme a harsh look. "But for your information, i'm perfectly fine."

"Maeve you can talk to us," John spoke up, smoking a cigarette. Maeve looked up at him, gripping the glass tightly. "Thanks for that, but there's nothing to talk about."

And with that, she turned on her heels and walked up the stairs, slipping the exact stair that would creak under her weight.

Her room was clean, extremely clean. Due to the fact she'd not been going out, hardly leaving her bedroom at Polly's for that matter, she'd become a clean freak. Maeve was refusing to let the room become untidy. She also refused to sleep without the door slightly open, afraid of something happening.

Some nights, Maeve would grow paranoid and would sit staring at the door, feeling like somebody was waiting to get her. It was stupid really, she felt like a child.

The Shelby's on the other hand, we're
sick to their stomach with worry. Maeve wasn't eating properly, was hardly talking to any of them and practically never leaving the bedroom.

Not even when Isiah came to see her.

John had to turn the boy away countless times because he knew there was no getting Maeve downstairs.

The den went quiet when Maeve entered, just like earlier that day. She was dressed, not in normal clothes but clean pyjamas that Polly had set out for her. It was started to get dark outside and the den wasn't as busy as it had been.

Both Finn and Isiah looked up from the betting books, their eyes landing on Maeve. "She looks like a bloody zombie," Finn whispered, earning a smack off Isiah.